Process for obtaining furane derivatives



Patented A r. 10,1928.

e 1 1,6 5,236 UNIT-ED srAr s PATENT OFFICE.

some ,1. rRIcxEY, or'EvAusroN, AND cam.

s. MINER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A s- SIGNORS 'TO THE QUAKER OATS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- zrron or NEWJEBSEY.

rnoonss FOR OBTAINING rename DERIVATIVES.

No Drawing. Application filed July 5, 1924, Serial No. 724,428. Renewed February 2'7;

This invention 7 pertains to methods or processes for obtaining furane derivatives and'more particularly relates to processes for obtaining pyromucic acid products of furane derivatives. I

' It is the .purpose of this invention to provide a rapid, inexpensive and efficient process for making resinousmaterials such as I I furfuralcoholic resin from fu-rane deriva- 10 tives and at the same time provide aneflicient process for obtaining pyromucie-acid; furthermore, it is a purposeof this inventionto provide a process for obtaining the resins and pyromucic acid in a high degree 4 of purity, 2

In order to carryout the above purposes and further. objects which may hereinafter become apparent, We have developed a process .Wherein the products initially used are furfural, a suitable alkali such as sodium hydroxideanda suitable mineral acid such "as sulphuric-acid. Bymeansof our process We areable to obtain fromzthese materials furfuralcoholic resin, also desired quantities of furfural resin, pyromucic acid and a byproduct comprising a salt .of sodium and sulphuric acid, or a salt of the particular.

mineral acid used. 1

Under properly controlled conditions, it has been found that Whenfurfural is treated ,avith sodium hydroxide, furfuralcohol and a sodium salt of pyromucic acid are formed as a result of the chemical reaction involving simultaneous oxidation, and reduction. Approximately four pounds of sodium hydroxide'isfsutficient to treat about nineteen pounds of 'furfural. In order to bring about this reaction, thesodium hydroxide is pref-.

erably slowly added to the furfuralin order to avoid excessive heatin and the mixture is at the same time.ma1ntained at a low temperature, approximating 15 C. for ex- I ample. The sodium hydroxide is preferably added in a Water solution of a strength such that fourteen and one-half pounds of $0111 tion'will contain the four pounds of sodium hydroxide. The mixture is preferably agitated while at this low temperature, with.

sufficient alkali until all or substantially all ofthe furfural is transformed into the alcohol'and the sodium salt of pyromuc-ic acid;

By means of our process We transform the "furfuralcohol formed in the above reaction into a resinous material and also transform and resinousv resinous, material.

is stopped at its intermediate stages,

the sodium salt'of. pyromucic acid into free pyromuclc acid. To accomplish these results vve-add to the mixture aquantity of acid, preferably mineral acid such as, 33% per a cent sulphuric acid solution, until the mixture 1s sllghtly acid "to congored. Under these conditions free pyromucic acidwill be liberated. At the "same time, considerable quantities of .a'salt of the mineral acid will be formed, and if the particular chemicals above cited are used, this Will be a sodium salt of sulphuric acid, the greater part of which will precipitate atthis point. Small quantities of' the produced may als'd pyro'mucic' acid which is These precipitates may now be separated fromthe mixture, as by filtering anolw ashlng. p .to this point the mixture may be kept at a low temperature. a

, this point the resulting'mixture contams in solution considerable quantities of salt. The mixture may also contain at thispoint a small amount of furfural, the exact.

quantity of which may be fixed -'by controlling the amount of sodium hydroxide ini-' tially added.

In order to resinify the alcohol also any remaining; furfural, the mixture Y may now be heated to a temperatureapproximate ing 80 C. As a result of the catalytic effect of the mineral acid present accompanied by the heating, the alcohol undergoes further reaction vvhich if carried sufliciently far results in; complete resinification.

precipitate at this point.

ount necessaryto recover The furfural will also become transformed into a It has been observed in the case of furfuralcohol that'if the reaction prod nets are formed of a? non-resinous nature Which differ substantially from the furfuralcohol. The speed and exten t'of this resinification may be controlled Within Widevarymg the temperature and the. amount of mineral acid present.' The 'reaction being exothermic in character Will pro ceed of itself after the mixture is heated to in the neighborhood of 80 C. If-this reac-.

limits by .tion takes place in a large volume of the mixture, the heat resulting from the-reactionaround the vessel containing the mixture.

. ganic solvents suchas ether.

tives which comprises an alkali m armanner whereby the reaction to become diflicult to cohol.

cient to liberate substantially pyromucic acid and to cause resinification in situ of the alcohol when the mixture 19- heated.

may sometimes be excessive and thus cause proceed too rapidiiy and to control. Accor ingly, in treating large .volumes 'of the mixture, as

soon as the reaction starts we proceed to control the temperature by applications of a. cooling medium. We have found it desirable with iar e volumes to maintain the tern perature at .11 out 110 C. orless. This temperature may bemaintained, for example,

by the use of refrigerating coils within or mucic acid are produced, and then adding a furfural and stantially all of'the pyromucic acid and to cause resinification insitu of the alcohol when the mixture is heated.

After theresinificationjhas proceeded to the desired extent. or when a resin of the desired. consistency has been obtained, the resin may be separated from the liquid mlxture and then purified." To purify the resm it may be treated with hot water and simultaneouslyagitated. The hot water may be accompanied by suitable materials for neutralizin any acid which may remain in the resin. or example, sodium carbonate may be added in suflieient quantities to render the resin slightly alkaline. The water is sodluln hydroxide 1n a manner" whereby then poured OE and the resin preferably furfu kP and Sodmm' S Of P1 again i h d; ,IIIUCIC ac1d,are produced, and then adding Afte th l ohol d fm-fuml h v been a quantlty of a mineral acid sufficient to r i ified d re d f m th li id ixliberate' substantially all of the pyromucic ture, the mixture maystill contain small amounts of themineral acid, "as well as small amounts of the salt of the mineral acid in solution, but the larger portion of the ma solution willconsist of of the pyromucic acid and to cause res1n1= fication in'situ of the alcohol when themixture is heated,

I 4. The process of obtaining furane derivaalcohol and its separation from the remaining liquid. 5. The process of obtaining furane derivat -1 i i m vtives which comprises mixing furfural and pyromucic acid.- Upon cooling this mixture, fll l in a manner whereby furfnralcohol the pyromucic' acid precipitates and the and salt ;py m 1 ac r prp uc mineral acid and saltthereof maybe washed an then ad g a qu ntl y f n sold wil ofi, leaving the pyromucic acid in a gree-of purity. The pyromucic acid may be removed by any other means as by extraction of the reactionv mixture with orpyromucic acid and to cause resinification in site of the alcohol and any, remaining furfural when the"mixture is heated. 6.1 The process of obtaining furane derivatives'whichx comprises mixing furiural and efiicient use is made of all of the materia s all alkali in 9; manner flllflll'alcohol involved in the prccessl. It will be particum di salt; of pyromuc1c aci l l t d th t-th i l. id, h s and then addmgaquantity of an acid sufth l h ri id,' 9, d bl o e, ficlent to cause'substantiall all of the pyronamely, 't serves tojorm the free yromucic muclc acid to be liberate and such as to acid fro the acid salt and later t 0 remaining mineral bringing about the 'resinification of the al- Fromthe above it will'be seen that ve .fural when the mixture is eated. r

7,, The processo'f obtaining furane derivatlves which comprises mixing furfural and It will be understood that various changes and substitutions of equivalents may V v made without departing from the scope and and a salt' o pyromucic Mi prlnci 1e of the invention set forth in the. and then adding a quantity of sulp uric acid appen ed claims. u v whereby p inucic acid is liberated and Havlng thus desc bed our invention, what 'such that when the mixture is thereafter mixingiurfural and-tives which comprises mixin'gfurfural and i I furfuralcohol an alkali in a manner where'b fur'furalcohol and a salt of 'p'yromucic aci are produced, and a salt 'o pyromucic' acid and then addmg a quantityof an acid suffihen adding a quantit of a, mineral ac1d all of the whereby pyromucic acid-i 2. The process of obtaining furane derivaquantity of an acidsufficient to liberate sub 3. The process of obtaining furanederiva-- are produced, 7 of a mineral acid sufiicient to liberate substantially ail tives which comprises mixing furfural and acid and to cause reslnification in situ of the a s liberated, heating e in a manner whereby r high de- 'cient to' liberate substantially all of the cause by catalytic action the resinification in acid serves as e catalyzer in- ,sltu of the alcohol and an remaining fur- :an alkali in a manner wherebg furfuracohgll are re uce we claim as new and desire .to secure by Letheated the alcohol is caused to resinify' in ters Patent of the 'United'States, is; situ. l 1 1. The process of obtain1ng furane deriva- 8. The process of obtaining fura-ne derivaare produced, 7

the

' the mixture whereby the alcohol resinifies in situ and separates, and thereafter separating pyromucic acid from the remaining mixture.

9. The process of obtaining furane derivatives which comprises mixing furfura'l and an alkali in a manner whereb furfuralc'ohol and a: salt of pyromucic aci are produced, then adding a quantity of an only to cause substantially all of the pyromucic acid to be liberated and to form a water insoluble product from the furfuraL,

mixture of a salt of pyromucic acid and furfuralcohol resulting from the simultaneous oxidation and reduction of furfural. which comprises adding a quantity of an acidto said mixture such that substantially all of the pyromucic acid is liberated, then heating the mixture whereby the furfuralcohol is resinified in situ and separates, and thereafter separating the pyromucic acid from the remaining mixture.

12."Phe herein described process for the separation in substantially pure form of pyromucic acid and a furfuralcohol resin from a mixture of a salt of pyromucic acid and furfuralcohol resulting from the simulacid suflicientv taneous oxidation and reduction of furfural which comprises adding a quantity of a mineral acid to said mixture such that substantially all of the pyromucic acid is liberated, heatmg themixture whereby the furfuralcohol isresinified in situ and separates, and

thereafter separating-the pyromucic acid from the remaining'mixture. y

13. The herein described process for the separation in substantially pure form of pyromucic acid and a furfuralcohol resin from a mixture of a salt of pyromucic acid and furfuralcohol resulting from the simultaneousoxidation' and reduction of furfural which comprises adding a quantity of sulphuric acid to said mixture such that substantially all of the pyromucic acid is liberated, heating the mixture whereby the furfuralcohol is resinified-in situ and separates, and thereafter separating the pyromucic v acid from the remainin mixture. 14. The process of o taining furane derivatives which'comprises mixing furfural and sodium hydroxide whereby furfuralcohol and a sodium salt of pyromucic acid are formed, then adding a quantity of sulphuric acid such that pyromucic acid is liberated, anda salt of sodium and sulphuric acid is precipitated, separating the sodium salt, heating the remaining liquid mixture whereby. the alcohol and any remaining fur- ,f'ural are resinified in situ as a result of. the

catalytic action of remaining mineral acid,

separating and purifying the resin formed,

and separating the pyromucic acid. In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names.

. JOHN P. TRICKEY.

OABLYS. MINER. 

